Medical Stores Limited has disclosed that it distributed condoms and gloves to the public that did not meet the required standards set by the Zambia Bureau of Standards in September, 2020.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee this afternoon, Medical Stories Limited Managing Director Chikuta Mbewe says the condoms and gloves which were procured from Honey Bee were not safe for use.
Mr. Mbewe also disclosed that the Ministry of Health authorized the distribution of health kits despite knowing that the kits did not meet the required standards.
And And the Zambia Bureau of Standards Executive Director Manuel Mutale revealed that the condoms and gloves that were tested by the Bureau were defective.
Mr Mutale said ZABS conducted tests on the condoms and gloves on 23rd September 2020 which revealed that they did not meet the required standards.
But Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority Director of Laboratory Services Bonaventure Chilinde admitted that there had been an oversight by the institution not to recall the products from the market.
“We normally work hand in hand with ZABS, ideally we should have recalled those products immediately it was detected but that was an oversight on our part,” Mr Chiinde said.
However, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary-Administration Kakulubelwa Mulalelo stated that she was not aware of who authoritised the distribution of the unsafe kits.
The condoms and gloves in question are still on the market for public use